MUMBAI: 2024 was a year that saw marked consolidation in sponsorship activities in Indian sports. While there was no overt powerplay on the commercial front, cricket played a cautious game with an eye on the future. In the seventeen years since the inception of the IPL, the sponsorship model has evolved considerably in the country. Today, we have a symbiotic ecosystem involving brands, businesses, sports properties and consumers.
GroupM Sporting Nation’s 12th Edition has noted that even in a year that saw a conspicuous paucity of easy scoring opportunities in terms of incremental revenue, steps were taken by the rights holders in cricket to enhance the value delivered to sponsors. This move, while laden with short-term ramifications, will go a long way in strengthening the solid foundations of the win-win framework. At the same time, Emerging Sports have played the supporting role to perfection, ramping up the scoring rate and giving a boost to the industry.
It was the year of the Olympics, and corporate India rallied behind our contingent, like the rest of the nation. The Indian industry recorded sports sponsorship spends to the tune of Rs. 7421 Crores ($ 883 Million) in 2024, at an increment of 1% over the 2023 figures. The growth trends were broadly consistent across all three revenue streams. Ground Sponsorship recorded Rs. 3046 Crores ($ 363 Million), closing just under the 2023 numbers, while Team Sponsorship generated Rs. 1681 Crores ($ 200 Million), and Franchise Fee stood at Rs. 2694 Crores ($ 321 Million), both closing slightly ahead of the previous year’s performance. With total spends of Rs. 5610 Crores ($ 668 Million), cricket contributed 76% to the overall value, albeit with a slight drop from 2023. To get a better understanding of the picture conveyed by these numbers, it is imperative that we take a closer look at the pitch, for a clearer perspective of the playing conditions.
The Indian cricket team played 44 matches in all in 2024, while they had a significantly busier schedule in 2023 with 64 outings. This had a detrimental effect on the Ground and Team Sponsorship values. Two key pillars for cricket, India’s most popular sport – the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Indian Premier League (IPL), both saw the commencement of new sponsorship cycles in 2024 for their respective schedules. When the ODI World Cup was played in India in 2023, there were 20 ICC sponsors in all. In the new cycle, this has been recalibrated to four Premier Partners and six Global Partners each for men and women, driven by the “Less is More” philosophy.
While the benefits of this rationalisation will eventually become self-evident, this has led to a reduction in the total sponsorship value for ICC events. While the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the USA and the Caribbean islands took us to the top of the world in terms of on-field performance, the results on the business side did not reflect the same level of buoyancy – owing to a purposeful trade-off made with the best interests of the sponsors in mind. Three Premier Partner slots went to well-known businesses that had shown increasing affinity for cricket in recent years.
Fly Emirates cruised along in their smooth journey with the ICC, while Aramco continued to fuel their partnership with the governing body’s well-oiled machinery. Meanwhile, DP World experienced no logistical hassle in their voyage with the world of cricket. Among the Global Partners, Coca-Cola continued its longstanding association with the ICC, having renewed its commitment for the latest cycle. While ICC events are major draws for cricket fans, the home fixtures of Team India are equally special for them, creating unmatched excitement and fervour. For these events, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the roles of Title Sponsor and Official Partner were performed by IDFC First Bank and SBI Life, respectively.
As this unfolded, Campa and Atomberg joined as Official Partners, enhancing the value of Ground Sponsorship. Dream11 continued as the Team Sponsor, while Adidas remained the Kit Sponsor for both the men’s and women’s squads.
Changes In The IPL’s Sponsorship: The IPL also witnessed changes in the wake of the renewal of its Central Sponsorship, indicating the start of a new cycle in 2024. Tata extended its association as the Title Sponsor, with a deal valued at Rs. 500 Crores ($ 59 Million) per year, while the Associate Partner slots were secured at an average annual value of Rs. 93 Crores ($ 11 Million).
A noteworthy development within the IPL fold was My11Circle’s impressive winning bid of Rs. 125 Crores ($ 15 Million) per annum in the competitive fantasy gaming category. This marks a significant move for the brand, and the 5-year deal is expected to contribute substantially to its growth strategy over the coming years. The other Associate Partners for the IPL were Angel One and RuPay, while CEAT Tyres and Wonder Cement served as the Official Partners.
The T20 league recorded a clear increase in individual deal values, a trend similar to that seen in ICC sponsorships. However, this delivery is being measured against the exceptional anomaly of the previous two years, with both 2022 and 2023 having returned 100% sponsorship fill rates. With such extraordinary precedents, expectations from 2024 in terms of growth figures were undeniably high, and fully meeting them proved to be a daunting task.
In women’s cricket, the second season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) was played out, with Tata maintaining its position as the Title Sponsor and Sintex coming on board as the Associate Sponsor. The list of Official Partners for the event included Dream11, CEAT Tyres, and Amul Kool.
2024 saw healthy growth in sponsorship spends in Emerging Sports: With an upswing of 19% over 2023, they delivered a total value of Rs. 1811 Crores ($ 216 Million). The Paris Olympics gave an impetus to the business of these sports – it was the keenly awaited spectacle of the year. While athletes represented the nation with pride at the Games, several prominentIndian business houses contributed meaningfully to their sporting endeavours. Reliance served as the Principal Partner to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and the first-ever ‘India House’ created by them at the Olympics marked a historic milestone.
It became a true ‘home away from home’ for Indian athletes, offering not only a place of comfort for them, but also a vibrant cultural and hospitality hub. While promoting Indian heritage and providing unwavering support to our sporting heroes, it stood as a symbol of pride and solidarity. Witnessing this blend of tradition and modernity, while cheering on our champions, was truly a special moment for the nation. The Adani Group became the Principal Partner of the Indian contingent, as they supported the campaign significantly. Paris 2024 also saw the Indian Team partnering with Bharat Petroleum, Aditya Birla Capital, JSW Group, Ebco, Yes Bank, Amul, Puma, Herbalife, Tasva, Borosil and other such brands that backed athletes.
Distance Running: This has traversed many miles in India in recent years, with marathon events experiencing significant growth. This acceleration has been fuelled by an increased focus on health, fitness, community engagement
and corporate support. These days, India’s long-distance runs draw participants from varied demographics, ranging from professional athletes and amateurs to corporate teams.
With the backing of major business houses and the momentum generated by societal trends, these events are evolving into cultural milestones that promote fitness and other shared values. In 2024, all major Indian cities hosted
their landmark marathons with remarkable success. The Tata Group continued to be the pacesetter here by stepping in as the Title Sponsor at the Mumbai Marathon.
To add to this, Kolkata 25K was reinforced by Tata Steel, and the success codes for the 10K run in Bengaluru were written by TCS – with Title Rights in both cases!
In the capital city, Vedanta continued to run with the Delhi Half Marathon, in the role of the Title Sponsor. Corporate support for distance running extended further in 2024 with Adani Group (Ahmedabad), NMDC Limited (Hyderabad), and Freshworks (Chennai) featuring prominently among the other key sponsors.
Internationally, the Tata Group made significant strides on the course with TCS securing a five-year deal as the Title Sponsor for the Sydney Marathon, enhancing their presence in Australia, a key market for them. Distance
running stood out in 2024, contributing 23.5% of non-cricket sponsorship spends, clearly emerging as an inclusive and fast-growing participative sport in the country.
Progress Seen In PKL, ISL: A decade has passed since Kabaddi and Football took inspiration from cricket’s premier franchise league. 2024 saw the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) receiving robust support from brands like Dream 11 and Shriram Finance as Associate Sponsors, while HP Lubricants, Roff, and Mother Dairy came on board as Official Partners. The Indian Super League (ISL) pushed the ball forward with Parimatch Sports, Nandini, and Nivia Sports on the sponsorship roster. These partnerships reflect the confidence bestowed on the leagues by brands and the growth potential they represent.
While cricket remains the dominant force in India’s sporting ecosystem, both PKL and ISL have successfully carved out their own identities, with a promising future ahead. In 2024, action also unfolded in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK), and Prime Volleyball League (PVL), marking the early stages of their respective journeys. The successful execution of these events highlights the diversity in India’s sporting arena,
providing platforms for emerging athletes across multiple disciplines.
The Hockey India League Returns: A notable comeback occurred towards the end of the year with the return of the Hockey India League (HIL), which had been on the sidelines for some time. With the national team’s impressive performance at the Olympics, there is renewed optimism around the sport. Earlier in the year, New Delhi hosted the India Open Badminton Tournament with Yonex Sunrise, an iconic name in the sport, serving as the Title Sponsor. In another highlight, we also hosted the Indian Open Golf, with Hero Motors, true to the name, playing the Title Role, further showcasing the variety in the nation’s landscape for Emerging Sports.
Indian brands extend sponsorships to prominent international competitions across disciplines: Several Indian brands have extended their sponsorships to prominent international competitions across disciplines, illustrating our growing presence as a significant sports-consuming nation. In football, Apollo Tyres continued its partnership with Manchester United, focusing on grassroots development with their ‘United We Play’ activation.
Meanwhile, Ceat forged an alliance with the German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen, signalling further expansion of Indian brands into international football. BKT Tires, known for its strong international presence, continued to build its reputation by sponsoring a diverse portfolio of events such as the United Rugby Championship (Title Sponsor), World Women’s Curling Championship (Title Sponsor), EuroLeague Basketball (Premium Partner), Australia’s Big Bash League (Official Off-Highway Tire Partner) and Monster Jam (Official Tire Partner), among others.
These associations underscore India’s importance as a sports market, with brands increasingly making inroads into world-class competitions. As audiences become more engaged with various sports by going beyond cricket, these partnerships serve to enhance brand visibility, while also contributing to the growing recognition of the nation in the global industry.
The 2024 scoring rate in cricket sponsorship can largely be viewed as an outlier against the run of play and not indicative of a trend – more of a blip than a lasting pattern! On a more positive note, emerging sports have demonstrated impressive growth, sending a strong signal that a broader multi-sport ecosystem is on the horizon in IndiA . As new sports gain momentum and attract more attention, the opportunities for brands to engage with a wider range of followers are expanding.
As the respective fan bases grow, brands are expected to increasingly see value in associating with them, leading to heightened sponsorship activities. Looking ahead, the trajectory of sports sponsorship in India remains positive, with 2025 poised to see a stronger performance with the spends increasing in cricket as well as emerging sports.
